Okay, I'm back. Like I mentioned before, finals are a pain. The last few weeks have just been a healthy/unhealthy amount of psychological decompression, followed by my moving into my new apartment so I haven't been doing too much writing. I'm going to try to get on a good rhythm over the summer, hopefully putting out a chapter every week. If I really get my act together they'll start coming out on a specific day. Anyways, what are your thoughts so far? I'm always looking to improve as a writer.
The morning air was cool and the sky cloudy as Percy made his way over to Pollux' Pub. He'd spent yesterday with Annabeth, cuddling and watching TV, but there had been something off about their relationship recently. That wasn't to say something was missing, but rather out of place or off balance.
Annabeth's work as an architect was demanding, and even at the best of times it meant that she was busy or not mentally available. After she'd begun the "renovations" around Camp, however, it had been worse than ever. Despite never being further than five miles from him at any given point, Annabeth's attention had darted from the renovation of the cabins, running for public office, and now to this mysterious new project of hers. He'd never blamed her, despite his growing ire for the Romanization of his home, and he loved seeing her happy. But it had made a lot of things weird, to say the least.
On the other hand, Percy could see the necessity for Annabeth vying for the governorship. The current governor, Dakota, was abysmal. If he'd been a drunkard that would have been one thing. Functional alcoholism was common among adult half-bloods, and frankly not so debilitating with their Olympian gifts and reflexes. Coupled with the high tolerance of Dionysus' children, and Dakota's alcoholism really shouldn't have been a problem.
Only it wasn't just alcohol. A drunken state was the closest Dakota ever came to being sober, spending the rest of his time smoking herb, hash, or even crack if he had any. Cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, pretty much any drug you could think of. It had gotten so bad that the Romans who had come with him threw out the cough syrup, for fear of his using it irresponsibly. Ironically, most of them got sick that week. Percy had gotten a good kick out of that.
But the real problem was the mismanagement that stemmed from this. High taxes were a huge problem, and campers who had once come to Camp Half-Blood looking for a safe place to hide from the beasts of the ancient world now found themselves caught between a rock and a hard place. In front of them, Roman Legionnaires with a sword in one hand and an open palm in the other, whereas behind them the hordes of Hades lay in wait.
And what were they getting for these exorbitant taxes? Nothing, not even protection. Clarise and the Ares cabin, who had adopted the traditionally Spartan way of life, had been patrolling the borders just as they had every day before their new Roman overlords showed up.
The last and most egregious offense was the use of "Parva Graecia" as a farm state for the empire. The Demeter cabin, led by Katie Bell, had been put to work as soon as the Roman's began organizing their new province. Long hours and small pay was a bad combination, and many of Demeter's children had left for the outside world. The mounting death toll of Demeter campers had sent the goddess into a frenzy, and the crop growth had been lower ever since. If the Stoll brothers hadn't stepped up and hidden away stashes of food, campers would have starved to death. As it happened, Roman supply lines had to be set up for the oh so precious Roman citizens occupying their lands.
Arriving at the front door of Pollux' pub, Percy made sure to take a deep breath. Pollux and Clarisse were likely to take action soon, sooner still if he took their side. But war was costly, and having led a few armies himself he knew that negotiations were a preferable alternative to violent revolution. If Annabeth could successfully win the governorship, then war could be avoided and their problems solved.
Entering into what had once been the Dionysus cabin, Percy took note of the emptiness of it all. He knew that it was only eight in the morning, but he'd never seen the place so lifeless.
"Percy!" he heard Pollux exclaim. Looking up, Percy could see the young man standing on the balcony, smiling ear to ear.
"Pollux," Percy replied amicably.
"Clarisse is already here, come on up!" Pollux shouted. Percy got the feeling that he had already been drinking.
Percy made his way over to the stairs, a surreal feeling coming over him as he climbed to the top of them. Usually they were closed off to customers, but today Percy supposed that he was no ordinary customer.
"Boo!" Pollux exclaimed, jumping out from the left hand side of the stairs. On instinct, Percy socked him right in his mouth.
Even as he fell to the floor, Pollux's cackles filled the room.
"Pollux! Holy shit are you alri-"
"Are you two fucking done out there?!" Clarisse shouted, understandably perturbed by the time it was taking for them to climb a flight of stairs.
"Yeah, yeah we are Clarisse," Pollux said, containing himself. "We'll be there in a moment."
Percy offered his hand, pulling up the smaller, more jovial boy. Or was he a man now? The thought of the time passing by so quickly was an unsettling one, and Percy resolved to consider it no more.
They made their way over to a small room with a desk, a dresser, a hammock, and two bottles of liquor each filled up halfway with dark brown liquid. Clarisse sat in the far corner, one of her legs crossed over the other, fiddling with her dagger. Pollux pulled out a chair for Percy before shipping up to sit on the dresser.
"Now that we're all here," Clarisse said, quietly. "We can discuss what we're going to do about the Roman invasion."
Percy took a deep breath. He should have known that'd be her position. Pollux seemed exasperated also, having begun a deep swig from one of the bottles.
"It's not an invasion if we agreed to it, Clarisse," Percy reminded her.
"We didn't agree to this!" she snapped. Pollux put down his bottle, as if to say something, but Clarisse wasn't done yet. "We agreed to allow them to take a portion of our food for the provisioning of their army in exchange for access to their colleges, businesses, and the protection of their walls. It was supposed to be a trade, Prissy!"
"It still can be, Clarisse, but if we go to war we lose access to all of those things and more! What about the safehouses in every major city? What about the campers who moved to New Roma?" Percy shot back.
"So what, everyone else is supposed to just lie down and take the abuse until your girlfriend grovels long enough at the feet of the mighty empress? Fuck that, Percy. And fuck you too while were at it!" Clarisse shouted, at least to the extent that she could while they were whispering.
"I think that it's time for a voice of reason here," Pollux began. "And I also think that it's unfortunate that between the three of us the voice of reason is inebriated."
Percy snorted at that, meanwhile Clarisse just rolled her eyes. Even still, they'd both shut up.
"We can't sit here and do nothing anymore, Percy." Pollux said, with a tone of finality. "We've been waiting for you to see that too, and I think that on some level you have. People around here respect you, and you're the only thing close to a general that we've known in recent years. If we go to war, a lot of people will want you at the helm."
"Pollux, it's been years. The last time I led anybody anywhere I was a teenager. Who would want me as their leader?" Percy asked.
"I would," Clarisse supplied, quickly and irately. "Or I would've, anyway."
She glowered at him, eyes like simmering water that was refusing to boil over. Percy's chest tightened, and in that moment his heart turned to lead.
"Clarrisse, I'm a drunk. I'm not fit to lead anyone," He admitted to her.
"You're not as bad as most," she replied. "And you don't have to be so... I…" Clarisse paused, her body tensing up. There was a long silence that followed, Pollux glancing between the two of them.
"Percy, this war is going to happen," Pollux disclosed, breaking the silence with the business at hand. "And whether it happens with or without you is important, but it's not a deciding factor."
Percy remained quiet for a moment, in spite of the intense scrutiny he was now under. If he panicked, peace was off the table, but if he could just get them to wait for a moment he might be able to solve this.
"War isn't the answer, guys. At least not the best one. Give me three days to find a way to deal with the Romans that doesn't result in the legions marching up to our doorstep. Please," he said. Percy hadn't meant for the desperation he felt to come across, but in light of everything he was facing right now it probably could have been worse.
Pollux and Clarisse shared a look with one another, as though they were having a silent conversation. Finally, Pollux met Percy's eyeline.
"You get one day, and if you fail you lead our armies," Pollux countered.
A deep breath. Another. Percy sighed. This was the best he was going to get.
"Deal."
